Michael Flynn: Mediocre Newport still in the promotion mix

The Exiles head to Colchester United tomorrow afternoon (kick-off 3pm) aiming to get back into the League Two play-off spots after sliding to eighth with a 1-0 defeat at Tranmere on Tuesday.

County were setting the pace for the first half of the campaign but have endured a torrid time since winning at Grimsby on December 8, picking up just 12 points from a possible 45.

Nonetheless, Flynn remains upbeat about his side's chances of being in the mix in the run-in and isn't allowing himself to be derailed by the critics.

FRUSTRATED: Manager Michael Flynn during Newport County's loss to Tranmere

"Everybody likes bringing up the negative stats of two wins in 15 games but it's the same in all football," said Flynn. "It's so much easier in life to be negative than to give somebody praise and keep a bit of faith.

"All I know is that if we got offered this position before a ball was kicked then we'd have bitten their hands off.

"Everybody is entitled to their opinion but sometimes, just before you tap the keyboard, step back, have a think and look at the bigger picture of where certain clubs have come from and where they are now."

Flynn accepts that County's results and performances have not been good enough but is relishing the chance to climb the table by beating promotion rivals.

"We've gone from being an excellent team to a mediocre team at the minute, let's not dress it up," he said.

"I'd be really worried if we were getting played off the park and weren't having the chances to win games. There are small margins.

"The beauty of it is that we have teams around us - Carlisle, Exeter, Cambridge, Cheltenham, Bradford, Bolton – that we have still got to play.

"It's all to play for and the boys just have to keep believing – because I believe in them.

CELEBRATIONS: Newport County AFC went top of the table by thrashing Bradford City when playing superb football

"We have raised the expectation levels through the roof. Anybody could say that we haven't handled that well, and it's hard to argue with that, but there have been a lot of factors out of our control that didn't help.

"The points total over the last couple of months is not good enough. I am honest enough to admit that, but it's not all doom and gloom.

"There is still a chance for us to have a fantastic season. We've got to keep going, let's dust ourselves down and try to finish with a bang."

County's promotion bid has been given a lift by the EFL giving the go-ahead for them to escape their Rodney Parade pitch problems for their next two home games.

In-form Bradford will be welcomed to the grass of Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday but first the Exiles have to produce the goods in Essex against a team sitting 20th.

"I am concentrating on Colchester because it's a tough place to go and they shouldn't be where they are," said Flynn.

"They have a lot of good players who would get in most teams in League Two. Let's get the win and then start worrying about Tuesday."

County are without midfielder Luke Gambin, who is on loan from Colchester.